Yes, Youth Can and Did! They voted in high numbers in the 2008 Elections
In anticipation of the November 4th election, in 2007, CPPPS established Active ’08, ACC’s student-run voter registration group. Active ’08, members of Student Life, the Student Government Association, and other student groups were trained by Adam Fogel, the Right to Vote Director of FairVote.org to disseminate information about the voter registration process, register students to vote, and to help students become more familiar with their local and national representatives. About 2,000 people registered to vote through efforts these groups efforts.
Groups like Active ‘08, positioned around the country, not only got young people to register, they got them to vote in large numbers in the November 2008 elections. In fact, according to an exit poll analysis released on November 4th by CIRCLE, a nonpartisan research center at Tufts University, “between 22 and 24 million young Americans ages 18–29 voted. This is an increase of about 2.2 million from 2004’s election.”
“The most amazing part was that a lot my friends brought their parents and grandparents to the polls, instead of the reverse happening. I don’t think that level of influence has been researched and recorded because I am sure that it made a difference,” stated Megan Fullen, an ACC Student Life Coordinator.
In other words, young voters chose to make sure that their voice (as well as others) was, and will continue to be, heard – THEY VOTED!
2009
Now it is time for all Austin voters to think local and vote in the May 9, 2009 elections. At that time, Austinites will have the chance to decide on their next Mayor and on City Council Members to Places 2, 5 and 6. Local elections affect local issues, in the long and short-term (taxes, housing, transportation, higher education, etc.), so Austin must increase its level of turn out (see report) in order to have the greatest number of voices heard.
Therefore, don’t miss your opportunity to register through the voter registration efforts that will be occurring on ACC campuses. The next cycle of registration events begins in March 2009. Early voting begins April. Please go to the following web sites to see registration schedules, and for information about becoming a part of the registration and election process:
The deadline to register to vote in the May 10th election is April 9th.
More voter registration information can be found at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/pamphlets/faqs.shtml and http://www.votexas.org/ |
